Kiln dried timber is timber that has gone through an automated process of removing moisture, through the use of heat and airflow in a controlled environment. To achieve low moisture content needed in timber used for cabinet making.
If you're not sure whether a piece of furniture is solid hardwood or an imitation masquerading as the real thing, examine the construction. How are the pieces of wood joined together? Dovetail joints, for example, are generally a good sign of quality construction.
Another indication is gluing. Solid hardwood furniture, particularly panels, consists of many pieces of wood glued together edge-to-edge or end-to-end with continuous glue lines. Put your finger on a glue line and trace it across the top surface, over the edge and to the underside. If the line disappears, chances are it's not solid hardwood but rather plywood, block wood or MDF with a veneer covering.
When selecting a location for your clock the following criteria should be observed:
Select a location where the clock can be set up level and securely.
Locations with direct sun light, close to radiators or other heat sources and/or draught should be avoided.
The sound and loudness of the clock can be influenced by size of room, wall construction (solid or dry wall) other furniture, and sound absorbing materials (floor coverings, drapes, etc.).
Your Clocks and Chimes clock arrives in a solid packing case with accessories, depending on the model. All original packing materials should be saved for future use when relocating or moving.
It is recommended that soft cotton gloves or a dry soft cloth be used when handing parts.
Safely remove the clock from its packaging and place it close to its final location, using more than one person if required.
Ensure that the clock is positioned securely.
Remove packing materials. Access to the movement, chimes/bells and cables is obtained through the front door or the top access hood.
Hang the clock using the hanging point(s) on the back of the clock. Once hung, the clock must be level to operate properly. Use a water level to ensure the clock is level both side to side and front to back.
Hanging the pendulum - Remove the pendulum from its box. Some pendulum discs have a coloured, protective plastic film, carefully remove this film before hanging the pendulum.
Prior to hanging the pendulum, check that the pendulum extension is correctly positioned; attached to the two pins of the suspension spring and that the verge pin locks into the upper guide slot of the
pendulum extension.
First check the suspension spring. If it is damaged or bent, it must be replaced. While holding the pendulum extension with one hand, slip the
pendulum through the slot on the pendulum extension, and lower the pendulum until it is hanging securely on the pendulum extension
Hanging the weights - Check the weights to ensure that they are tightly assembled. Hang the weights on the cable pulley(s) or hooks.
Before setting the time, make sure that the automatic night shut-off, if applicable, is turned off and the respective selector lever is not in the position «NIGHT OFF». Moving the hands while this option is in operation could damage the chime mechanism.
For combination cable-key wind or key wind movements the springs have to be wound prior to setting the time.
To set the time, move the minute hand counterclockwise (backwards) until hour and minute hand are at the correct time. When moving the minute hand counterclockwise as described, the clock will not chime. Never move the hour hand when setting the time. The hour hand will move automatically.
If after setting the clock on time, it does not chime properly, this is not a defect. Let the clock operate 1 to 2 hours. The movement has a self correcting feature which synchronizes the chimes with the time. The synchronization can be speeded up by moving the minute hand back 2 more hours and then turning it clockwise (forward) as described next.
Should you elect to move the minute hand clockwise (forward) when setting the time, it is recommended that you let the clock complete each strike cycle (quarter, half, three quarter and full hour depending on model). The strike release will only function if the minute hand is moved slowly past the respective release points.
Switching to day light savings time or back to regular time is done by moving the minute hand forward or backward one hour. If your clock gains or loses time after several hours of operation, see section on adjusting the pendulum for instructions on how to regulate the timekeeping of your clock.
Open the front door of the clock and place your hand on the side of the pendulum disk.
Move the pendulum from the center to the far left or right, so that the pendulum bob just touches the side of the clock case or side glass, and release. Due to the built-in automatic beat adjustment, the tic sound of the clock movement will become perfectly even within a couple of minutes. Should this not be the case, please repeat the start procedure moving the pendulum to the other side of the clock case.
Pushing instead of just releasing the pendulum or an incorrect positioning of your clock (see section 5) can result in damage to the side of the clock case or side glass.
Never change (switch, turn on or off) the strike and/or chime selection while the clock is striking/chiming or the minute hand is positioned directly before the release points (quarter, half, three quarter and full hour depending on model). This could severely damage the mechanism.
Clocks equipped with J key wind movements have to be switched from «SILENT» to «WHITT.» first and the Whittington chime needs to be completed before selecting another chime.
Depending on the movement your clock is equipped with, different chime options are available. To select a chime option, use the selector levers positioned to the left, right or on both sides of the dial.
Some clock models are equipped with selector rods on the side(s) below the dial or radial switches with small selectors in the top left and right of the moon phase dial.
Details of the strike/chime lever positions for kieninger movments are set out in the documentation for your clock and can be found in the movements section of the Kieninger website.
The weights or springs of your clock should be wound regularly and evenly. Leaving the strike mechanisms unwound can lead to jamming of the time mechanism.
As a general rule, silencing the chime mechanisms should be done by using the function(s) of the chime selector levers, only (see section 8).
When winding clocks without maintaining power the automatic beat adjustment can shift out of alignment. The clock should therefore be re-started (see section 7) and the time be re-set (see section 6) after winding is completed. When winding the clock, and if possible, use your free hand to stabilize the clock case.
Cable movements - Insert the crank key provided into the crank holes located in the dial face as far as possible. Depending on movement the time, (if available) melody chime and hour strike mechanisms are wound clockwise or counterclockwise until the respective weight stops or is approximately 2" from the bottom of the wood movement mounting board.
The winding directions for your movement is:
Movement
Left
Centre
Right
P-series movement
clockwise
counter
RWS movement
clockwise
counter
clockwise
Never wind the clock without having weights attached or lift the weights by hand while cranking. This could result in the cables becoming tangled and jamming of the movement.
Cable-key wind movements - Insert the crank key provided into the crank holes located in the dial face as far as possible. The time mechanism is wound counterclockwise until the weight stops or is approximately 2" from the bottom of the wood movement mounting board. The quarter hour and hour strike mechanisms are wound clockwise until a noticeable resistance develops.
Never wind the clock without having weights attached or lift the weights by hand while cranking. This could result in the cables becoming tangled and jamming of the movement.
Key wind movements - Insert the winding key provided into the winding holes located in the dial face as far as possible. All key wind mechanisms are wound clockwise until a noticeable resistance develops.
The length of the pendulum determines the running speed (timekeeping) of your clock. The longer a pendulum the slower is its swinging speed.
To change the running speed, move the pendulum bob up or down and, thus, shorten or lengthen the effective length, that is the distance between center of gravity of the pendulum and pendulum hook.
The pendulum bob can be moved up and down by turning the adjustment nut. Depending on pendulum type, this adjustment nut is above or below the pendulum bob.
Before you make any change, observe and note the timekeeping of your clock over a longer period of time, for example 12 or 24 hours.
yre and Wooden pendulums - The adjustment nut is located below the pendulum bob. Turning the adjustment nut as seen from above counter clockwise will shorten the effective pendulum length and the clock will run faster. Turning the adjustment nut clockwise will lengthen the effective pendulum length and the clock will run slower.
The correct adjustments for your clock can be found in the chart here.
Pendulum
Length
Turns
Mins/24hrs
Grid, Wooden and Rod
65cm
1.1/2
1 min
35cm
3/4
1 min
Please make sure that the pendulum bob remains fully seated against the adjustment nut and pull it down as needed. Remember to reset the time after adjusting the pendulum bob
The Kieninger movements in Clocks & Chimes clocks have automatic night shut-off between
10:00 P.M. and 7:15 A.M. (for quarter hour strike movements) or 10:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. (for half hour strike movements)
If your clock does not strike or chime during the daytime, its movement is in the night cycle. You need to move the clock hands back 12 hours to go into the day cycle.
Before doing so the the chime selector lever has to be set on «SILENT». Moving the hands while the night shut-off is in operation could damage the chime mechanism.
If after setting the time, the clock does not chime properly, this is not a defect. The movement has a self correcting feature which synchronizes the chimes after 1 to 2 hours.
Your Clocks and Chimes clock with its Kininger movement, requires minimum care and maintenance:
Remember to wind the clock as required by the movement. (i.e. every eight days for an eight day movement.) It is a point to note that the weights are an attractive aspect of the clock's aesthetic appeal, so winding every four/five days will keep them in the central area of display.
Keep the door closed.
Check periodically to ensure that your clock is hanging level and securely.
If applicable check the weights occasionally to ensure that they are still tightly assembled (hooks and/or loops), are properly hung and (where applicable) the cables run in their guides.
Include the clock in your housekeeping routine, clean and polish your clock cabinet as frequently as you do your other furniture. However, take extreme care workin on and around the clocks dial and moving parts, to avoid damaging the hands or the movement.
Every 2-3 years you should oil the movement with a fine clock or sewing machine oil.
Kieninger recommends that your clock movement be oiled (synthetic oil No. 859 by Etsyntha) every five (5) years by an authorized service center and thoroughly cleaned every ten (10) years. Extreme environmental conditions (air humidity and quality, temperature, etc.) may necessitate more frequent oiling and/or cleaning.
When relocating or moving the clock all weights and the pendulum have to be removed from the clock to avoid unnecessary damage.
Before removing the weights, cable movements have to be wound up completely and secured to ensure they don't unravel during transportation.
Once the cables are secure, remove the pendulum and the weights and pack them so that they are protected form damage, ideally in the original packaging (see section 5).
At the new location, repeat the setup of the clock as previously described.
Adjust the pendulum length as described in section 10 above. top of page
15. Clock doesn't chime or strike
If your clock does not chime or strike, this can have several causes.
If you have just set the time on the clock, or changed the setting of your clock, leave the clock for a couple of hours to rectify itself before chiming properly.
Ensure that the melody/night silence selection lever is not in the 'silent' position or halfway between melodies.
Ensure the movement in not being obstructed and all the packaging has been removed from around it.
For models with night silence, make sure the clock is not in night silence mode, or is not twelve hours out of sync (i.e. silent during the day and chimes/strikes in the evening and during the night).
On multi chime movements, move the chime selection lever from it's present position to one of the other melodies.
If applicable make sure that the weights hanging in the correct location. Check the label on the bottom of each
If after several hours of operation your clock does not strike the correct hour, the hour hand is not positioned correctly.
Grasp and move the hour hand alone, forwards or backwards, to line up with the hour the clock is striking. Rotating this hand independently will not damage the clock or affect the chimes.
If the clock chimes more than one minute before or after the proper time, the minute hand should be removed and adjusted. When performing this operation be careful not to scratch the hand nut, hand or dial.
When the clock starts chiming, stop the pendulum and record the exact time.
Using a special tool or pair of pliers, carefully remove the mall nut that holds the minute hand in place by turning the nut counter clockwise while at the same time holding the minute hand with your fingers near the small nut.
Remove the hand from the shaft by pulling it straight off. This hand is not screwed so should come off easily.
On the back of the hand there is a small raised bushing with a square hole that slides directly onto the shaft. By firmly holding the bushing with a pair of square nosed pliers or with a square shafted bradawl and moving the minute hand back or forth you can adjust the position of the hand in relation to the square bushing, and so, it's position when put back onto the dial.
Turn the clock hand forward or backward the distance necessary to correct the time.
Replace the hand onto the shaft and tighten the nut finger tight. Make sure the hand shows the correct time you recorded plus any corrections you made.
Restart the clock and re-set the time by moving the minute hand only backwards, or, if forward, wait for the chiming sequence.
Note: due to the square hole in the bushing, the minute hand can be placed onto the dial in four different positions. So if the clock is chiming 15, 30 or 45 minutes
before or after the correct time, removing and repositioning the hand to the correct time is easily done.
If the clock sounds wrong when striking or chiming, the area to investigate is the chime bars and hammers. The chime tone of gong rods, tubes or bells may be affected by hammers resting on them, touching insufficiently or striking incorrectly. Although the hammers were set at the factory, it is possible for them to get out of adjustment during transport. There are different procedures for adjustment depending on types of chimes.
Gong rods: Do not bend or try to adjust the gong rods as they break off easily. The volume and sound cannot be adjusted on a gong rod.
The hammer arms are made of brass and can be safely adjusted. If necessary, bend the hammer arms so that each hammer rests approximately 1/8" from each rod. Ensure the hammers do not interfere with each other while moving.
The hammer heads should touch the center of the gong rods just below the tapering. For adjustment loosen the little screw on the back of the hammer head and slide the hammer head into the desired position.
Securely tighten the screw afterwards.
Coil gong: The same procedure as for gong rods is applicable.
Bells: The same procedure as for gong rods is applicable.The best bell sound is achieved when a hammerhead hits the edge of the bell.
If the chimes and hammers are not the cause of the 'wrong sound' then check that the clock is level and stable. If it is not, the swinging pendulum could catch another part of the clock and produce a sound.
Although it is not recommended that you repair your own clock, you should check and correct with the use of this section the following items before contacting Clocks & Chimes. In any case do not attempt any adjustment not described in this section or you do not feel confident in making.
Check that all the packaging has been removed.
If applicable to the movement, make sure that the weights are hanging in the correct location. Check any label on the bottom of each.
Re-starting your clock, if you have not already tried this.
Ensure all weights and/or springs wound sufficiently?
Ensure the clock been set up level side to side and front to back, and that the pendulum is totally free of any obstruction and not touching the weights or chime rods.
note: if the pendulum is hitting the weights or chime rods, the clock is not level and stable.
Make sure that a pulley has not come off the cable and the cables are sitting on the reel correctly.
Ensure the hour is not touching the minute hand, the second hand (if fitted) or the clock's dial?
note: if the hour hand is touching the minute hand, the hour hand should be pushed very gently closer to the dial. If the hour hand is touching the second hand, pull the hour hand away very slightly ?
Before pursuing service, ensure that all instructions provided with your clock have been carefully followed. These instructions will provide detailed information to answer most questions.
Procedures to obtain repair and/or service - In the unlikely event that your clock appears to be malfunctioning or requires repair, please call Clocks and Chimes. Usually most problems can be quickly resolved without returning the clock for repair or service.
Have a copy of the original bill of sale or other proof of purchase, the product identification information in the table below (from your clock documentation) and a brief description of the problem available.
Clocks & Chimes model
Kieninger movement type
Serial number of movement
Pendulum type
Pendulum length
Return authorisation is required from Clocks and Chimes prior to the return of any product or component for repair, which is not returned in its original packaging. Your clock will not be accepted otherwise.